Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
I finished my shift and managed to keep my head where it needed to be, and when it was over, I didn’t linger. I was beyond tired and ready to crash, so I drove straight to the house. The place was dark when I pulled in, and the house felt a bit hollow as I headed inside.
Nothing had changed. It was the same as it’d been when I first moved in, clean and void of anything personal. Preacher had taken it all when he moved to Tabitha’s, leaving only a few stray pieces of furniture and dishes in the cabinets. It was ready for someone new to step in, which ended up being me, but it still felt like his house.
It was nothing I could point out. It was just the bones of the place, like I was just passing through instead of living there, and I wasn’t sure anything would ever change that. I dropped my keys on the counter, and the sound echoed through the room a little louder than it should have.
It was too damn quiet.
It was a strange thought. I used to live for the quiet. Now, it just seemed to pull me under. I moved through the living room and into the kitchen, flipping on one light after the other, but it didn’t make it feel any less empty. If anything, it made it worse.
I had no idea how I could make this place mine. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to. Some places just weren’t meant to be settled into, or maybe this hollow feeling was just me. Maybe I was the one who wasn’t meant to settle. I was too tired to think about it, so I stripped off my clothes and collapsed on the bed.
It had been a long day. It was the first time I’d actually stopped moving long enough to think about anything outside of what was right in front of me. I grabbed my phone off the bed, and when I looked at the screen, I saw I had a missed call from Stone.
It had been a couple of weeks since we last spoke, so I assumed he was calling to check in. I considered calling him back until I saw that Raelyn had messaged me.
Raelyn:
Is tomorrow night good for dinner?
Me:
Yeah, that works.
How’s 5:30?
I didn’t expect her to answer back. It was a school night. She and the boys were probably sound asleep. But then, the screen lit up with a response.
Raelyn:
That would be perfect.
Me:
You should be in bed.
Raelyn:
Then, why are you texting me?
Me:
I didn’t think you would answer.
Raelyn:
I couldn’t sleep.
Me:
Everything okay?
Raelyn:
Yes. Just thinking.
Me:
That’ll do it.
Raelyn:
I told the boys you were coming.
Me:
They good with it?
Raelyn:
I think so. They’re pretty curious about you.
Me:
I can imagine.
Raelyn:
You made an impression on them at the diner.
Me:
I hope that’s a good thing.
Raelyn:
I guess we’ll see tomorrow night.
Me:
Looking forward to it.
What are you in the mood for?
Steaks or burgers?
Raelyn:
I was thinking burgers, if that’s okay.
Me:
Okay. I’ll grab some stuff on my way over.
Raelyn:
No need.
I already bought it.
I was getting groceries and thought I’d grab the stuff while I was there.
Me:
Okay. Sounds good.
Get some sleep, Rae. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Raelyn:
You too.
Night, Walker.
Me:
Night.
I put the phone on the nightstand, and the room went quiet again. But this time, it didn’t feel quite so empty.
The next day passed faster than it should have. I slept late, checked in with Preacher and the boys, and washed my bike. I tried to keep busy, but no matter what I was doing, my mind kept circling back to dinner at Raelyn’s.
It didn’t make sense. I wasn’t a man who got nervous. Not about anything, but when I thought about meeting her boys again, it rattled me. Clearly, this night mattered to me more than I’d realized. I wanted to make a good impression, so I ran by the store and grabbed a bottle of wine.
That was an easy pick. Finding something for the boys took some thinking. I looked around for a bit and decided on a couple of packs of Big-League Chewing gum. It wasn’t much, but I hoped they might get a kick out of it. I checked out and headed over to her place. I pulled up the driveway and parked behind her Tahoe. As I removed my helmet, I glanced up at her house, and even outside, it felt completely different from the one I’d just left.
I grabbed the bag and walked up to the door. I hadn’t even had a chance to knock when it eased open, and there she was, smiling at me like I already meant something to her. And damn, that did something to me.
Her hair was pulled back, and even in her leggings and oversized t-shirt, she was all class. Without thinking, I muttered, “You’re beautiful.”
“Oh, please,” she laughed, shaking her head. “You don’t have to do that. I know I look rough, but the kids wore me down today.”